Vrancian Dynasty

The Vrancian Dynasty covers an era when the Sozian island was almost wholly governed by one family. This vast empire was known as the Vrancian Empire, Soshia (Sozy in Vrancian), was no more but a swampy area, inhabited by hunters and fishers. A militaristic and hierarchical society expanded its borders for centuries. Finally the Empire's territory was invaded or reconquered by tribes hostile to the Vrancians.

Culture

Social Hierarchy

The Vrancian Empire had a sophisticated hierarchy, everyone belonged to a special group or class. Loyalty to the Emperor was important, given the centralist nature of the Empire, especially in the middle period.

Classes

The ruling class (Vidija) in the Vrancian Empire consisted out of the Emperor (Lydrii) and its family (Lydriak), advisors (reizivc) and military leaders (hoaghi) and their families (hoaghiak). The second class was the “servant class” (Midijo) to which all who served the empire belonged to, both soldiers (aghi) and servants (Horilydrii). The lower class (Lidijo) were all the other people, villagers and farmers. There were also common slaves (Aolydrii), slavery was abolished in the late period however.

Aside from the Emperor, there wasn’t really a noble class, one could (except for Emperor) reach any status by experience and hard work. In the late Empire, the Emperor was elected by the advisors.

Government

Advisors (reizivc) were a small group, usually about 15 wise men or women organised in an advisory council (reizivc ej daár). They gave the Emperor advise during difficult times and management of his or her empire. Usually advisors were highly educated people from the universities. In the Late period there was a group of about 250 minor advisors from the military and universities (mureizivc) who were to elect a new Emperor when the other died, these minor advisors were appointed by the advisors.

The ministers (raánebti) were the bureaucrats, they ruled a ministry. In the middle period of the dynasty there were about 100 ministries, in the late period this was reduced to 30. Each ministry had a ministry advisory council (reizvicaj-raán ej daár) a representative (kálnusi) and servants (oeptenii) to do the paper work.

The Emperor appointed civil (shia) and military (dizki) judges (on). In the late period 50% of the civil judges (shiaon) were democratically elected.

A province was ruled by a governour (Gydrii) who had a lot of power, around him a similar hierarchy was built as with the Emperor. Localities were ruled by the nearest army corps and its civil advisors, in the late period local councils were democratically elected.

Servants

The Emperor or Empress had “an army of 10,000 holy servants” (Survitjo kiatu Horilydrii), young men and women, who helped the Emperor with anything. Maintaining his palace, washing him, guarding his many riches and secret chambers. These servants were slaves, but generally well treated in comparison with other slaves. There were dancers, people carrying food, door openers, messengers and they all had a hierarchy with ordinary servants and a Servant superiour (Horilydrii-ashi), responsible for the entire group.

There were entire Palace Guard divisions (aghi tir Lydrii) in each palace. Apart from them the Emperor in the early and middle period ruled an army of slaves (aoly tir Lydrii), who served as bodyguards.

Servants were never just ordinary people, each servant or guard was trained and schooled at the age of 7, via experience through work and ideological reading. Servants were exclusively ethnic Vrancians.

Military

In the early period, the Vrancian army was made up out of poorly armed peasants and some (but rarely) a group of light cavalry armed with spears.

In the middle period the Emperors started to form an army consisting out of conscripts and professionals. All men and women in the age of 7 to 50 were to have extensive military training. What must be noted is that your social or financial status did not influence your status in the army, but rather your experience and physical strength did. There were 4 main groups of warriors: the infantry, armed with spears; the archers, armed with either javelins or bows; the light cavalry, armed with spears; the heavy cavalry, armed with multiple swords, bows and 3 javelins, amongst enemies, they were known as the “latroii”, immortal ghosts.

The latroii were feared warriors known for their swift manoeuvrability and brutality on the battlefield

In the late period, the Emperors started to employ non-Vrancian soldiers, this led to much weakening of the military system. As the foreign fighters were not likely to engage war against their own people. Some of these soldiers were removed from their place of birth and placed elsewhere: this often led to demoralisation and revolt.

Entertainment

The Vrancian culture was so heavily militarily centred, there was no real entertainment, no big plays no free bread. Life in the Vrancian Empire was totally dedicated to serving the state. Even amongst the rich, excessive leisure was viewed with suspicion.

Architecture

The Vrancian architecture is known best for the massive fortresses it built all across the Sozian island. Houses of common people were made up by whatever resource was available in the region.

Provinces and cities

Provinces

The Vrancian Empire was divided into various of provinces (Teyalubi). In the early period it had only 3 provinces, at its height in 375 AD the Vrancian Empire included 15 provinces. Provinces were governed by the Gydrii (the governour) and a division of warriors loyal to the Emperor (see Social Hierarchy)

A list of provinces (for easy reading, these are mostly English variants), the link relates to the province that currently covers the area. Note: In the Vrancian Empire, Sozy did not exist but included an area where people ethnically belonging to the Sozian tribe lived, they called Sozy “Soshia”.

Ríkio Vrancii
Vrancian Empire

The Vrancian flag in the middle and late period
Imperial motto	Beschculria bvri ey bvri (Civilisation from coast to coast)
Official language	Early-Vrancian
Capital	Iren Vrancij (Porti Viagnèt)
Rulers	Emperors of the Vrancii Monarchy Family
Population	ca 15 million (375 AD)
Rise and Fall	753 BC <> 500 AD
Currency	Çemi

Cities

In the Vrancian Empire, most people actually lived in villages. There were only 3 very large cities.

Click the links for more information

• Iren Vrancij (Porti Viagnèt), the capital (1003BC-465AD).
• Vênghörjit (Vènghörjit), a large fishing and trading city (375AD-410AD).
• Viaça (Vjilkäa, Vilkrüh), a trading centre (125BC-387AD).

The Vrancii Monarchy

Most of the documents and writings of the Vrancian era are gone, it is suggested that the poor material used for writing caused that. We only know of the existence of a few emperors, but there must have been much more.

Timeline

Early Vrancian Dynasty

Emperor Vrancii Vrancii the first Emperor.

He centralised the former tribalist government, created an prosperous agricultural society.

• 753 BC, the provinces Irenc Vrancij, Eastern Vrancii and Vrancii-Coast founded.
• 400 BC, the province Vrancii-rural is founded.

Middle Vrancian Dynasty

* Emperor Zurè Vrancii first Emperor of the Middle Vrancian Dynasty (400 BC)

This is the man the saying "A Zurè administration" (neat and ordered) came from, thanks to him we are have been able to study the Vrancian society.

• 375 BC, the province Northern Vrancii is founded.
• 230 BC, Sozian tribal leader Wulfður surrenders to Empress Gustià Vrancii. The province Lower South Sozy is founded.
• 185 BC, more Sozian tribes surrender after a huge military offensive by order of Emperor Vrisia Vrancii. The province Upper South Sozy is founded.
• (120BC-)125 BC, Emperor Vrisia Vrancii’s granddaughter Empress Trici Vrancii, (“the blood queen”) exterminates 90% of the population of the Sozian tribes in the North, Upper North Sozy is founded. Her army raids through the coastline and forces the population to move Westwards, Eastern Sozy North Coast is founded. After a long war the Eastern Sozian principality Viaça is conquered, the principality’s city is burnt down to ashes almost completely, the Prince Foschumtur is hung in public. Province of Viaça is founded.
• 100 BC, the daughter of Empress Trici Vrancii, Empress Trici-Jague Vrancii orders the Eastern Sozian countryside to be “civilised”, the tribal leaders are executed, the people enslaved. “province between the rivers” is founded.
• 300 AD, the swampy North (the white spot in the east-north) is occupied by Emperor Kitsri Vrancii and the Sozy North Coast province is founded. However, the military of the Vrancian Empire moves out of the region after 50 years for the protection of the other provinces. During those 50 years the Vrancian division in " Sozy North Coast" never successfully dealt with the rebellious swamp people.

Late Vrancian Dynasty

The Empire starts to be greatly democratised, but the enemies of the Vrancian Empire grow in numbers, storms of hostile tribes are to be released. Note that these tribes were conquered by the Vrancians in the past.

• 360 AD, the province Sozy West Coast is founded by Vrancian traders.
• 375 AD, the province Vênghörjit is conquered by military leader Setri, the result of a series of wars between 400BC-375AD.
  • 375 AD, the Vrancian Empire is at its height, but will not exist 125 years later.
• 380 AD, 75% of the military divisions retreat to protect the Empire elsewhere. Local tribes take over the authority when the remaining Vrancian divisions lack numbers, and many are ethnic Eastern Sozian mercenaries. “province between the rivers” and Eastern Sozy North Coast are officially disbanded.
• 387 AD, Vrancian traders, together with the Sozian majority announce independency of the Province of Viaça, the Vrancian Empire retreats and does not launch an attack.
• 390 AD, inspired by the revolt in the Province of Viaça, Sozian tribes and some L’ìghübirghum tribes launch a massive campaign against all Vrancian forts in the area, after short but heavy fighting, the Empire’s divisions retreat even further southwards. Upper South Sozy, Lower North Sozy, Upper North Sozy are lost.

The last century of the Empire:

The Vrancian Empire looses ground, ethnic Sozians and L’ìghübirghum tribes ravage the country.

• 405 AD, ( Lower South Sozy) bordering the heartland (Vrancian provinces) lost after years of Sozian uprising.
• 407 AD, “Barbarians” raid Northern Vrancii the Empire looses control of the province.
• 410 AD, Vênghörjit, the only foreign city still in hands of the Vrancian Empire is forced to surrender to a group of combined Sozian tribes that have entered the city via the canal. All Vrancian warriors were murdered.
• 425 AD, Vrancii-rural, the agricultural centre of the Vrancian Empire has its entire army killed in a battle against L’ìghübirghum invaders, the province’s authorities flee to the capital.
• 465, Eastern Vrancii, centre of the Vrancian fish industry is conquered by Sozian tribes. They siege the capital province Irenc Vrancij for 9 months and finally invade it on the 10th October 465. The city is burnt to ashes, the huge population of 500,000 people either died fighting, fled to the West, were enslaved or murdered.
• 475, The province Sozy West Coast falls apart in independent cities, the warriors loyal to the Empire leave by boat to the protection of the last lands.
• 495, Emperor Lakcii dies at the age of 60, the last emperor.
• 500, The province Vrancii-Coast is partly invaded by Sozian tribes, and partly split up in independent city-states.
  • 500, The Vrancian Empire has fallen. Members of the Vrancian Dynsaty (family names like Vrancii, Vrancy or Vranci) are still alive today.

The Vrancian Empire in 375 AD